There are several situations in which a user may need to use a personal lighting system. In the past, flashlights have been extremely popular for use in these situations. However, recently users have begun to recognize the advantages of using a personal headlamp. For example, the use of a headlamp frees up a user's hands to allow the user to perform various tasks. However, the use of personal headlamps also presents problems that are not typically experienced by flashlight users. For example, when a user wearing the headlamp looks at a close object, light may be reflected into the eyes of that user. Additionally, having to manually switch a headlamp between modes can be problematic when the user's hands are dirty and/or slippery.